Marriott Gift Cards and Vistana

[CalGalTraveler]

Do Marriott Gift Cards Work for Vistana MF?

Any tips or tricks to make this work?

 

[echino]

No.

Gift cards can only be applied as a credit to your folio at the front desk after you check in, to pay for things you charge to your room.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Okay. Thanks for letting me know.

 

[Negma]

I get not available on MF. That said, 20% sounds like a reasonable deal if you figure you will stay in the next year. Am I missing something ?

 

[CalGalTraveler]

@Negma I agree. I am trying to figure out what we would spend it on given we have excess free credit card anniversary nights that we need to burn first.

We also have a bounceback VIP presentation in which we haven't booked the stay and would need to pay beyond the deposit via phone. Would it work for that?

 

[DannyTS]

Do they work at any Vistana resort (not MF)? What amount do people normally buy? I see they do not expire so the amount for us would depend on where we can use them and how often Marriott has this promo.
I also see they an e-card. Is this what people normally buy? I do not want to loose the plastic card.

 

[Henry M.]

Found the promotion at https://gifts.marriott.com

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Here you go: https://www.doctorofcredit.com/marriott-sells-their-egift-cards-for-20-discount-5-11-5-17/

 

[duke]

If Marriott goes BK you get 0 value as an unsecured creditor.

 

[Henry M.]

Do the timeshares (for me specifically WKORV) accept these cards? I tried calling but can't get to a person. It just says it is god at eligible properties when I check the automated menu, but no list of which properties are eligible. I'll try calling again tomorrow. I travel enough that this might be worthwhile to cover all the incidental expenses at timeshares as well as to pay for hotels.

 

[echino]

I used it at Marriott Waiohai to pay for occupancy taxes. Should work at Westin too. It will not work for any payments before your stay, such as prepaid rates. You can only use gift cards to settle your bill at check out, either for non-prepaid rates at hotels or for incidentals, room charges or taxes.

 

[Henry M.]

It is still a pretty good deal. I went ahead and got one. According to some articles I saw, these cards sell out in seconds when the discount is offered every year.

When I first tried to pay, the site got hung up waiting. The Captcha verification timed out a couple of times. I closed the site and started over again and then it worked without a hitch.

 

[Negma]

If you pay for it with an Amex bonvoy card do you get 3x points? Regardless we often have charges at the bar!!! Shocking! A $1000 should do it ( kidding) happy hour mai Tai here we come

 

[CalGalTraveler]

I went ahead and bought a small amount with a Bonvoy AMEX because they don't expire and guaranteed 20% discount is pretty good. IMO the odds of Marriott going BK is low risk. It appears one can defer the purchase up to 3 months, so I pushed out the delivery date to late July so I don't have a GC that I have paid for in May and am sitting on. Hopefully this bills in July as anticipated.

 

[Mulege]

Not good in Mexico. They convert to pesos at their (the hotel's rate) which is substantiay lower than the bank rate. 20% can easily be reduced

 

[oneohana]

We're hoping to exchange our restricted options for resort credit.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

DP: Well it looks like they billed my credit card now even though the gift card delivery was deferred until July. I won't be needing the GC before then but was hoping the billing would match delivery.

Overall I bought $350 worth ($280 actual cost). Good enough for future bar bills and Marriott/Vistana hotel stay but not tying up too much money given travel uncertainties and our glut of credits and anniversary nights.

 

[Ckhawaii]

If Marriott goes BK you get 0 value as an unsecured creditor.

I think we all have bigger problems if Marriott goes BK.

 

[DannyTS]

Not good in Mexico. They convert to pesos at their (the hotel's rate) which is substantiay lower than the bank rate. 20% can easily be reduced

I am curious if the card works like a credit card, in which case we can ask the reception to charge in pesos not in USD. There must be a mechanism for where the prices are not posted in both currencies like in Europe (if I remember correctly)

 

[CalGalTraveler]

It was via email with a number and pin. Not the same as a credit card with the underlying Visa network for FX.

 

[DannyTS]

this is what I found about the exchange rate. I am going to try to use it at Lagunamar for a partial bill in pesos to see how it goes.

"The discount applies to electronic gift cards purchased in USD, though the gift cards can be used globally (the exchange rate might be slightly worse than market rates) "

Marriott Selling Gift Cards For 15% Off (Last Chance)

Marriott is selling gift cards for 15% off for Cyber Monday, which is potentially a great deal. Here's what you need to know.

onemileatatime.com

 

[DannyTS]

somebody posted this on flyer talk, I am not sure how accurate it is though, it is from 2001:

"What exchange rates are applied when traveling outside of the United States?
We actually use the Bank One's banking system to handle our exchange rates,
which are typically more favorable than those rates posted at the front
desk. When the card is applied during check-out, the hotel will used the
hotel's posted exchange rate to make sure the card is not 'over spent'. The
charge applied to the card will be done in the local currency, then
converted back to US Dollars immediately back here in the US. You can call
the Customer Service number to find out your balance at any time, as well as
your last 5 transactions. Again, the conversion rates used by our bank will usually be favorable to you when compared to the posted rates at the
hotels."

 

[WI GAL]

I called the front desk at Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resort South, and they stated they do accept Marriott Gift cards at checkout for items that are charged to the room. I also checked my Marriott Bonvoy Visa charge for the gift card and it does give 6X points for the purchase, just like it would if I used the credit card at checkout.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

.

 

[YYJMSP]

somebody posted this on flyer talk, I am not sure how accurate it is though, it is from 2001:

"What exchange rates are applied when traveling outside of the United States?
We actually use the Bank One's banking system to handle our exchange rates,
which are typically more favorable than those rates posted at the front
desk. When the card is applied during check-out, the hotel will used the
hotel's posted exchange rate to make sure the card is not 'over spent'. The
charge applied to the card will be done in the local currency, then
converted back to US Dollars immediately back here in the US. You can call
the Customer Service number to find out your balance at any time, as well as
your last 5 transactions. Again, the conversion rates used by our bank will usually be favorable to you when compared to the posted rates at the
hotels."

I bought a whack of the GCs and used part of the first one at checkout at a hotel yesterday in Canada. I was charged the exact exchange rate shown online, so no additional currency conversions after whatever the initial credit card purchase incurred (2.5% in my case).

The front desk manually entered the GC info from the purchase confirmation email and the amount due in CAD and it auto converted to USD...

You can monitor the GC balances and transactions online.

So close to 17.5% off after all is said and done, since my original GC purchase was in CAD and subject to currency conversion. For those buying in USD or with a CC not subject to conversion you should see a full 20% off...